Panel planning Veterans Salute Day

Work continuing on memorial in Bryan Commons

By Randy C. Murray

POSTED:July 25, 2013 9:00 a.m.

The Hinesville Military Affairs Committee recently appointed subcommittee chairs for Veterans Salute Day, scheduled for Nov. 16 at Bryant Commons.George Holtzman said the family event, which will begin with annual the Veterans Day parade, is intended to raise money to build Veterans Memorial Walk at Bryant Commons.The parade tentatively is scheduled from 10 a.m.-noon to allow parade spectators time to move over to Bryant Commons, where food vendors already would be set up from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Three of the four subcommittees now have someone in charge, including P.J. Schneider, who agreed to head up the food and vendors subcommittee; Karen Bell and John Crowley, who agreed to work on the entertainment subcommittee; and Barbara VanDuser, who agreed to work on the raffle and door-prize subcommittee with help from Schneider and Adna Chaffee.The logistics subcommittee, which would involve security, parking, bathrooms, trash cans and cleanup, was not filled, although committee chairman David Anderson said he would ask the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce and Hinesville Downtown Development Authority how they handled logistical support for their events.“A lot of local performers will come to an event like this and perform for free just for the public exposure,” Bell said. “These performers will usually bring friends and family members.”Brigitte Shanken suggested asking Bradwell Institute and Liberty County High School drill teams to volunteer as part of the entertainment. She also said a Peruvian dance group from Savannah might support entertainment.Chaffee mentioned getting the 3rd Infantry Division Jazz Band, and Peter Hoffman recommended asking Armstrong Atlantic State University’s Savannah Winds orchestra to provide entertainment.The items discussed most were raffle tickets, raffle items and door prizes. Holtzman read a draft of a solicitation letter to potential sponsors. The letter would include an artist’s rendering of the Veterans Memorial Walk and list of items that sponsors and individuals can purchase in support of the memorial.“We’ll get the letter completed and let David (Anderson) sign it then Linda (Blanchard) print it and email it,” Holtzman said. “We’re going to need some $25,000, $50,000 and $100,000 donations to get this project going.”Schneider said he contacted the owner of VIP Office Furniture and Supply about printing 6,000 raffle tickets.“I think what we decided was to try to get three to five big prizes to raffle and several smaller items as door prizes,” said Schneider, who made a motion to allocate $400 to purchase the tickets.His motion was approved, as was a suggestion to sell raffle tickets for $2 apiece or three for $5. The point of contention among members was fixing a price to charge vendors. The final consensus was to allow for-profit and nonprofit vendors to buy vendor space at the event by donating something as a raffle item or door prize.Other business included approving a $100 donation to the Liberty Humane Shelter in the name of Kimberly Webster and a $100 donation to the Ronald McDonald House in the name of Gary Dodd.The committee also agreed to provide $50 in support of the chamber’s farewell event for Maj. Gen. Robert “Abe” Abrams on July 31, and another $50 for a welcome event by the chamber for Maj. Gen. John “Mike” Murray on a date yet to be determined.Upcoming events mentioned by members included a cookout at Coastal Manor this Saturday; the 3rd ID change-of-command ceremony Aug. 2; a Disabled American Veterans’ fundraiser from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 3 at Walmart; and a job fair for veterans Oct. 17 on Fort Stewart.